Computer hardware
- Created by: Ashleigh Hockenhull
- Created on: 27-04-15 19:37
View mindmap
- Computing hardware
- Central Processing Unit (CPU)
- purpose of the CPU is to process data
- FETCH: (1st step) fetch data & instructions from main memory then store them in own internal temporary memory areas
- DECODE (2nd step): CPU has to make sense of instruction it just fetched 'decode'
- EXECUTE (3rd step): data processing takes place
- DECODE (2nd step): CPU has to make sense of instruction it just fetched 'decode'
- clock speed
- computers can only do one thing at a time
- the CPU clock speed is measured in cycles per second
- the speed of the clock determines basic performance of the CPU - faster it goes, more powerful the computer
- clock speed indicates how fast the CPU can run
- number of cores
- CPU xan contain one or more processing units - each unit called a core
- CPUs with multiple cores have power to run multiple programs at the same time
- cache
- small amount of memory which is part of a CPU
- used to temporarily hold instructions
- larger the cache size, better the performance bc able to store more data locally
- Memory
- RAM: random access memory
- volatile memory
- anything stored in it will be lost as soon as power disapperars
- ROM: read only memory
- stores the instructions which the computer uses when it 'boots up' the BIOS
- ROM retains data even w/out power
- non-volatile memory
- RAM: random access memory
- Input and output devices
- input device: piece of hardware thats used to enter data into a computer
- output deivice: piece of hardware thats used to display or output data which has been processed or stored on the computer
- secondary storage
- any device used to store data is known as a storage device
- solid-state storage keeps its data without power & has no moving parts
- Central Processing Unit (CPU)
Comments
No comments have yet been made